Departure:
Reina Aimura.
'Kenshin!'
That voice haunted him. so innocently sweet and carefree, despite the
horrors of the Tokugawa Era. The man shuddered in his dreams, breaking
out in a cold sweat, confronted by his inner fears - not death, nor
wealth. Indeed, something far more important. His indigo-sapphire eyes
opened slowly, as if just awakening from a long sleep. Slowly, he pushed
himself up.
Judging by the dimness of the light outside, Kenshin gathered that it
was still night, or early morning. He smiled tiredly, flopping back onto
his futon. He could still remember the day he first returned. At the
bridge just outside Kyoto, Kaoru had welcomed him home, the smile on her
face so brilliant and shining. Megumi... Yahiko. Sanosuke. and Kaoru.
He blushed up at the paper ceiling. Even till now, he had not spoken
to Kaoru about his feelings. He may have shown it, but he thought that
perhaps telling her outright would be better. He was coming close to
thirty now - not much time before he left the world behind. Kenshin's
gaze was drawn to the sakabatou, which lay at his side, and he sighed. So
much. So much had happened, and so much he had done. He thought back to
what his teacher told him, the day he went back to train under him once
more, before facing Shishio.
'You've created Shishio with your own hands, and now, see what you
have done!'
That hurt all right. But, no matter. Shishio was gone, the Juppon
Gattana group disbanded. At this point, Kenshin's expression fell. Houji
Sakamoto. Yumi. of all of Shishio's gang, they were the most faithful.
For all he knew, Shishio might be taking over hell as he lay in comfort
in the Kamiya Dojo.
He shook his head violently, a sweat drop rolling off his head.
It was time to rest, after all the violent times he had gone through,
the pain. and the feeling of being lost.
Kenshin closed his eyes.
'Ano. Kenshin.?'
'Ah, Kaoru-dono.' Kenshin sat up immediately at the sight of the
woman, who had slid his door open slightly. Swiftly, he did his kimono
properly - he should respect her.
'Ca - Can I come in?' she asked timidly, almost afraid of him. He
smiled, and nodded.
'Gomen nasai,' Kaoru said immediately, as she knelt upon the tatami
mat next to his futon, bowing slightly. Kenshin blinked. Kaoru seemed to
be blushing faintly - was it the darkness?
'Iijanai de,' he assured her. 'Ne, what's the matter?'
'A-Ano.' she looked away, putting her hand to her lascivious lips.
'Hm?' he blinked again, and then reached for her other hand, which lay
in her lap. Grasping it, he could practically feel her pulse. 'Da-
Daijoubu de, Kaoru-dono?'
'Kenshin. Kenshin wa suki desu!' she blurted out, her face a faint
pink.
'Sou sou.' Kenshin stared at the uncomfortable girl. 'Date.
Aishitteru, ne?'
Kaoru glanced up sharply, staring at the smiling Kenshin. He seemed
almost peaceful, at ease. She saw his arms reaching out to wrap around
her, then she closed her eyes as she melted into his embrace.
'Aishitteru. Kenshin.'
Reina Aimura.
'Kenshin!'
That voice haunted him. so innocently sweet and carefree, despite the
horrors of the Tokugawa Era. The man shuddered in his dreams, breaking
out in a cold sweat, confronted by his inner fears - not death, nor
wealth. Indeed, something far more important. His indigo-sapphire eyes
opened slowly, as if just awakening from a long sleep. Slowly, he pushed
himself up.
Judging by the dimness of the light outside, Kenshin gathered that it
was still night, or early morning. He smiled tiredly, flopping back onto
his futon. He could still remember the day he first returned. At the
bridge just outside Kyoto, Kaoru had welcomed him home, the smile on her
face so brilliant and shining. Megumi... Yahiko. Sanosuke. and Kaoru.
He blushed up at the paper ceiling. Even till now, he had not spoken
to Kaoru about his feelings. He may have shown it, but he thought that
perhaps telling her outright would be better. He was coming close to
thirty now - not much time before he left the world behind. Kenshin's
gaze was drawn to the sakabatou, which lay at his side, and he sighed. So
much. So much had happened, and so much he had done. He thought back to
what his teacher told him, the day he went back to train under him once
more, before facing Shishio.
'You've created Shishio with your own hands, and now, see what you
have done!'
That hurt all right. But, no matter. Shishio was gone, the Juppon
Gattana group disbanded. At this point, Kenshin's expression fell. Houji
Sakamoto. Yumi. of all of Shishio's gang, they were the most faithful.
For all he knew, Shishio might be taking over hell as he lay in comfort
in the Kamiya Dojo.
He shook his head violently, a sweat drop rolling off his head.
It was time to rest, after all the violent times he had gone through,
the pain. and the feeling of being lost.
Kenshin closed his eyes.
'Ano. Kenshin.?'
'Ah, Kaoru-dono.' Kenshin sat up immediately at the sight of the
woman, who had slid his door open slightly. Swiftly, he did his kimono
properly - he should respect her.
'Ca - Can I come in?' she asked timidly, almost afraid of him. He
smiled, and nodded.
'Gomen nasai,' Kaoru said immediately, as she knelt upon the tatami
mat next to his futon, bowing slightly. Kenshin blinked. Kaoru seemed to
be blushing faintly - was it the darkness?
'Iijanai de,' he assured her. 'Ne, what's the matter?'
'A-Ano.' she looked away, putting her hand to her lascivious lips.
'Hm?' he blinked again, and then reached for her other hand, which lay
in her lap. Grasping it, he could practically feel her pulse. 'Da-
Daijoubu de, Kaoru-dono?'
'Kenshin. Kenshin wa suki desu!' she blurted out, her face a faint
pink.
'Sou sou.' Kenshin stared at the uncomfortable girl. 'Date.
Aishitteru, ne?'
Kaoru glanced up sharply, staring at the smiling Kenshin. He seemed
almost peaceful, at ease. She saw his arms reaching out to wrap around
her, then she closed her eyes as she melted into his embrace.
'Aishitteru. Kenshin.'